Timing assembly fob



May 24, 1932- s. H. CLARKE TIMING ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMOBILES 2. Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 21, 1925 y 1932- s. H. CLARKE 1,860,235

TIMING ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Nov. 21, 1923 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 attomwq Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES SAMUEL HERBERT CLARKE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND TIMING ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMOBILES Application filed November 21, 1923. Serial No. 676,125.

This invention relates to a timer assembly the claims hereto appended, it being underfor automobiles of the Ford type.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of timer assemblies for Ford automobiles and cars of similar type, and to enable the present Ford timing assembly to be used in its entirety, and to change its present position to one that is easily accessible for cleaning and oiling, thereby lengthening the life of the timer and at the same time affording better ignition.

It is necessary to keep the timer clean and Well oiled at all times to secure the best results, but with the timer as arranged in its present position on the Ford automobile, this is never done for the reason that the timer is located below the fan and fan belt and the breather opening of the crank case through which oil is poured with the resulting spilling of oil over the commutator and connecting wires, and causing the timer assembly to al ways be in a greasy, grimy and foul condition so that the average Ford driver restrains from soiling his hands and clothing in an attempt to clean and oil the timer, and delays the same until he has engine trouble and it is necessary to have the services of a mechanic. This delay in giving proper attention to the timer, usually results in excessive wear of the 39 parts and frequently requires the replacement of the entire timer.

Owing to the inaccessible position of the timer assembly, the expense of maintaining a Ford timer in proper condition to afford the best results is materially increased and the change of the position of the timer from its present inaccessible position to a position easily accessible and out of the proximity of the breather opening of the crank case, will not subject the timer assembly to the liability of accidentally becoming greasy and foul and at the same time will enable the timer assembly to be easily maintained in proper condition without necessitating the soiling of the clothes of the driver.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in stood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a timer assembly constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a similar View taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating the arrangement of the oiling device of the upper casing.

Figure 5 is a detailed view illustrating the manner of detachably pivoting the commutator engaging bail to the upper casing.

Figure 6 is a rear view of the lower casing.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner of mounting the extension shaft on the cam shaft.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the timer assembly comprises in its 89 construction a horizontal shaft member 1, adapted to be fitted on and form an extension of the cam or timer shaft 2 of a Ford automobile after the timer ordinarily provided with the Ford automobile is removed from the said shaft 2. The entire Ford timer assembly is used and the nut 3, removed from the threaded end l of the shaft 2, is employed as hereinafter explained, for securing the roller brush to the upper end 5 a tubular 90 vertical shaft 6, connected by Worm gears 7 and 8 with the cam or timer shaft 2 by the said shaft extension or member 1. The shaft extension or member 1 is provided at the inner end with a socket 9 which is fitted on the front end of the shaft 2 and is engaged with the removable key 10 thereof, whereby the extension 1 is interlocked with the shaft 2 and is caused to rotate with the same. The socket 9 of the shaft extension 1 is provided with a 1.09

suitable notch or recess 11, to engage with the key 10 and it is adapted to be readily placed on and removed from the shaft 2, and it is held in position on the shaft 2 by the retaining arm 12 of the Ford machine. The retaining arm 12 is of the usual construction and engages a lower casing or gear housing 13, which receives the worm gears 7 and 8 and protects the same. The shaft extension 1 has a reduced outer or front portion which extends to the front of the lower casing 13 and has its front end 14 fitted in a suitable bearing of the said casing. The worm gear 7 which is mounted on the shaft extension is provided with a hub portion 15 having a set screw 16, for clamping the worm gear 7 on the shaft extension. This will maintain the shaft extension firmly journalled in the opening 17 in the rear wall 18 of the lower casing 13. The bearing 19 of the casing 13, will prevent relative rearward movement of the'casing on the shaft extension and the gear 7 by fitting against the rear wall 18 will prevent relative forward movement of the-casing 13 on the shaft extension. The casing 13 is substantially semi-spherical and the rear wall 18 terminates a short distance above the shaft extension to provide an opening 20 for the outlet of oil and a plate 21 is secured to the rear wall 18 and is equipped with a sector shaped opening 22 adapted to prevent the edges of the casing at the bottom of the opening 20, from being carried below a horizontal position in the pivotal movement of the said casing in advancing and retarding the spark as hereinafter fully explained. The peripheral edge 23 projects beyond the rear wall 18 and the plate 21 as shown to enable it to fit the Ford automobile at the front of the engine casing at the place provided for the commutator. This will afford a proper bearing and support for the lower casing 13 and will enable the same to be shifted or vibrated for advancing and retarding the spark and the said casing is provided at the top with a lug 24 adapted to receive the spark advancing rod or lever 25, without necessitating any change in the construction or position of the latter. The shifting or pivotal movement of the easing 13 and the parts carried thereby on the shaft extension, will operate to produce relative rotary movement of the tubular shaft 6 and a corresponding movement of the roller brush 2G.

The lower casing 13 is formed integral with a lower tubular bearing sleeve 27 which is also formed integral at its upper end with an upper casing 28, but the upper and lower casings and the connecting bearing sleeve may be constructed in any other desired manner as will be readily understood. The bearing sleeve receives the vertical shaft 6 and forms a bearing for the same. The shaft 6 is tubular to provide a lubricant passage to enable oil to flow from the upper casing into the lower casing 13 for lubricating the gears thereof and any excess of oil will flow out through the opening 20. The tubular shaft 6 is provided at its upper portion with openings 29, placed at a predetermined height and controlling the level of the lubricant within the upper casing 28 to prevent any liability of the oil within the upper casing from rising too high and fouling the electrical connections or contacts of the commutator. The upper casing 28 is approximately cup shaped and forms a support for the commutator 4 which fits within it. The commutator coacts with the roller brush which is secured to the upper end of the shaft 6 by means of a key 30, collar 31 and the said nut 3, the collar, key, and the nut being transferred from the cam or timer shaft to the upper end of the tubular shaft 6. The commutator is retained on the upper casing by means of a pivoted bail 32, mounted on horizontal projecting lugs 33 and 34 and provided with a central enlargement 35 having an indentation forming a protuberance 36 which engages the central depression or indentation in the commutator originally provided for engagement by the retaining arm 12. The bail is resilient and is provided at its ends with slots 37, arranged vertically when the retaining bail is in its engaging position and adapted to swing downwardly to a horizontal position in alignment with oblong heads 38 of the pivots 39 to permit the bail to be en gaged with and disengaged from the said pivots. The bail is arranged to swing transversely of the timing unit with relation to the engine, but may of course, be placed. in any other desired position and the lug 33 is provided with a spring clip 40 having upwardly projecting sides which engage the lug 41, of the commutator whereby the commutator is reta ned in a relatively fixed position to cooperate with the roller brush.

The roller brush 26 which is of the ordinary construction is composed of inner and outer members 42 and 43 connected by a vertical pivot 44, haiing upper and lower conical heads, the lower conical head being adapted to ride over an arcuate oiling device 45, for splashing oil to lubricate the roller brush. The arcuate lubricating device consists of an inclined. curved spring, secured at one end at 46 to the bottom. of the upper casing and. having its other end bent downwardly and formed into an approximately L-shaped arm 47. The depending L-shaped arm 47 extends into a depression 48 in the bottom of the upper casing, and is provided with a laterally projecting flange 49, preferably formed by cutting the terminal portion of the arm and bending the same downwardly as shown. The pivot of the roller rides over the arcuate oiling device 45 and depresses the same and the said oiling device through its resiliency, springs upwardly as soon as it is released by the pivot of the roller brush and splashes oil upwardly which lubricates the roller brush and maintains the same in proper condition. The timing assembly constitutes a single unit and is adapted to be placed on and removed from the timer or cam shaft as a unit, and the parts will be maintained in their proper relative positions by the unit structure of the device. While worm gearing is illustrated for operating the tubular shaft, any other suitable gearing may be employed.

What is claimed is:

l. A timer assembly including a shaft extension provided with means for securing it to the cam, or timer shaft of an automobile, upper and lower casings having a connecting bearing sleeve, the lower casing being mounted on the said shaft extension, a vertical shaft mounted in the bearing sleeve, gearing connecting the vertical shaft with the said shaft extension and including a gear having a rotary adjustment on the extension shaft for adjusting the timer, a commutator mounted on the upper casing and forming a cap or cover for the same, and a rotary brush carried by the vertical shaft and cooperating with the commutator, a clamp having spaced portions for engaging a lug of the commutator for holding the same against relative rotary movement, and means carried by the upper casing and engaging the said cap or cover for securing the commutator in the same.

2. A timer assembly including upper and lower casings having a connecting bearing sleeve the upper casing constituting an oil reservoir, a tubular shaft mounted in the bearing sleeve and extending to the lower casing and forming a lubricant passage, gearing housed within the lower casing, means for connecting the gearing with the timer shaft of an engine, a commutator mounted on the upper casing, a roller brush carried by the tubular shaft, and a resilient lubricating device located within the upper casing and arranged to be deflected by the rotary brush whereby the lubricating device is adapted to throw oil for lubricating the roller brush.

3. A timer assembly including upper and lower casings having a connecting sleeve the upper casing constituting an oil reservoir, a shaft mounted in the said sleeve, gearing located within the lower casing for connecting the said shaft with the timer shaft of an engine, a commutator mounted on the upper casing, a roller brush carried by the shaft of the sleeve and a lubricating device mounted within the upper casing and consisting of an arcuate spring arranged at an inclination and adapted to be depressed by the roller brush, said spring being provided with a depending arm having a flange for splashing or throwing oil.

4. A timer assembly including upper and lower casings having a connecting sleeve, the

upper casing being provided in its bottom with a depression, a shaft mounted in the sleeve and extending into the upper casing, a commutator mounted on the upper casing, a roller brush carried by the said shaft, a lubricating device consisting of a spring arranged to be deflected by the roller brush and having an arm extend-ing into the said depression of the upper casing and provided with means for splashing or throwing oil to lubricate the roller brush and means arranged within the lower casing for connecting the said shaft with the timer shaft of an engine.

5. A timer assembly including a casing provided on its exterior with projecting horizontally aligned pivots, a commutator mounted on the casing and forming a cap for the same, co-acting interlocking means mounted on one of the said pivots and on the exterior of the commutator for detachbaly interlocking the commutator with the casing to prevent rotary movement of the commutator, and a bail mounted on the said pivots and arranged to swing upwardly and downwardly into and out of engagement with the top of the commutator and maintaining the same in interlocked relation with the said casing.

6. A timer assembly for automobiles including an upper casing, a shaft extending downwardly from the upper casing, permanently meshed gearing for connecting the downwardly extending shaft with the timer or cam shaft of the automobile, a commutator mounted on the upper casing, a rotary brush attached to the upper end of the downwardly extending shaft and coacting with the commutator to make and break an electric circuit, and coupling means in the tim ing assembly having coacting inter-fitting parts separable and replaceable in one position only, and permitting the removal of the timer and its replacement in one position only and cooperating with the permanently meshed gearing to render re-timing unnecessary in removing and replacing the timer.

7. In a timer assembly, the combination of a timer shaft, permanently meshed timer operating gearing removably mounted on the timer shaft, and cooperating interlocking means, part of which is carried by the timer shaft and part by the said gearing for connecting the gearing to the shaft and for permitting the permanently meshed gearing to be removed without separation of the parts thereof and to be replaced in one position only after removal so as to maintain the original relation of the parts and thereby render re-timing unnecessary.

8. A timer assembly for automobiles, including an upper casing, a shaft extending downwardly from the upper casing, gearing maintained in fixed relation for connecting the downwardly extending shaft with the timer or cam shaft of the automobile, a distributor mounted on the upper casing, a contact arm attached to the upper end of the downwardly extending shaft for rotation therewith and coacting with the distributor to make and break an electric circuit, and a coupling means in the timing assembly, having coacting interfitting parts separable and replacable in one position only and cooperating with said gearing, and permitting the removal of the distributor and its replacement in one position only, thereby making re-timing unnecessary.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL HERBERT CLARKE. 

